Top 3 NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (2/26)
We welcomed the NHL back in a big way last night, breaking out the brooms for a perfect 3-0 betting night. Let's keep it rolling tonight. Here are my top three NHL picks & predictions for tonight's massive 12-game slate.
Thursday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Columbus Blue Jackets (-102) vs. Boston Bruins (-118) | O/U 6.5 (+100/-122)
This Eastern Conference showdown between the Blue Jackets (29-20-7) and the Bruins (32-20-5) is one of the biggest games on the schedule tonight. Boston occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Columbus is trailing them by only four points. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston, MA.
The Blue Jackets have been red-hot since Rick Bowness stepped in and took the reins of the team. Columbus is on a 10-1-0 run under Bowness, which includes their current seven-game winning streak. I'll back the Blue Jackets on the Moneyline at this favorable payout of -102.
Boston has been playing well recently, going 12-2-3 in their last 17 games. However, the underlying metrics suggest the Bruins are due for major regression. Over the last 10 games specifically, the B's are 31st in xGoals% (42.26%). During the 10-game chunk, they're scoring 3.91 goals per 60 minutes (3.91), but their expected goals per 60 minutes mark of 2.74 is just 22nd.
Boston's running into a Columbus defense allowing only 1.9 goals per game during its current 7-0-0 stretch. With their defense dialed in, we could see the Bruins' offense come back to earth. Give me the Blue Jackets in this road pick’em spot.
Bet: Blue Jackets Moneyline (-102)
New Jersey Devils (+122) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (-146) | O/U 5.5 (-128/+104)
Jack Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal in Team USA's 2-1 overtime gold medal victory over Canada on Sunday, received a hero's welcome in New Jersey last night. However, his Devils (28-28-2) lost 2-1 at home to the Sabres. They'll make the quick trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins (29-15-12) on zero days of rest. This Metropolitan Division clash gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
One of the big storylines coming out of Milan is that Sidney Crosby will miss at least four weeks with a lower-body injury. That's not great for the Penguins, who have seen Crosby (59 points) contribute to 30.9% of the team's 191 goals (10th). I don't think Pittsburgh should be such a sizable favorite without their best player on the ice. To really emphasize the impact of Crosby, I must point out that their next-highest scorer is Evgeni Malkin, who has only 44 points.
Furthermore, the Devils should turn to Jacob Markstrom in between the pipes tonight. It has been a tough season for Markstrom (3.20 GAA, .882 SV%), but he's coming off a dazzling Olympics performance for Sweden - a 1.97 GAA and a .936 SV%. Maybe some of that magic comes back stateside. And perhaps the Devils having a game under their belt already gives them an advantage against the Penguins, who haven't played in three weeks. Let's take an underdog flier on the Devils against the Crosby-less Penguins.
Bet: Devils Moneyline (+122)
Calgary Flames (+105) vs. San Jose Sharks (-126) | O/U 6.5 (+108/-132)
The Sharks (27-24-4) return to action tonight with hopes of snapping a four-game losing streak. Included in that four-game sample size is a 3-2 road loss to the Flames (23-27-6) back on January 31st. Puck drop is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET from the SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA.
I'll lay the juice and take the under in this matchup. The most recent meeting between the Flames and Sharks finished with only five combined goals. This was the seventh game in the last nine meetings that stayed under the pregame total. Additionally, the under is 6-1 in Calgary's last seven road games, while the under is 7-3 in San Jose's last 10 games overall.
Calgary's offense is abysmal this season. They're 30th in goals per 60 minutes (2.48), 31st in shooting rate (8.62%), 25th in high-danger shots on goal (173) and 27th on the power play (16.37%). The Sharks obviously have emerging star Macklin Celebrini (81 points), but there's no denying that this is still a bottom-half NHL offense. They're just 18th in goals per 60 minutes (3.03) and 22nd in high-danger shots on goal (183). Let's take the under. I can see another 3-2 finish, or perhaps we get to 4-2 with an empty-netter.
Bet: Under 6.5 Goals (-132)